NYT Midi Crossword Clue · Across · 20-A

"Big Brother" genre

From the Thursday, February 26, 2026 puzzleAnswer: 9 lettersBy Rena Cohen
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Letters
9
Direction
Across
Clue #
20
Starts with
R
Ends with
V
Vowels
3

About this clue

The clue “"Big Brother" genre” appeared in the New York Times Midi Crossword on Thursday, February 26, 2026, at position 20-A. The answer is a 9-letter word or phrase that starts with R and ends with V.

This puzzle was titled “Rainbow Sprinkles” and constructed by Rena Cohen, edited by Ian Livengood.

The Midi Crossword sits between the lightning-fast Mini and the full daily, so its cluing tends toward punny misdirection rather than obscure trivia. With 3 vowels, this answer is unusually vowel-heavy — suggesting a phrase, name, or non-English borrowing.

How to solve this clue

If you're stuck on this Midi clue, here are angles that often help:

  • Crosscheck with the perpendicular entries. Fill the Down entries that cross this one and the letters will usually reveal the answer.
  • Watch for the puzzle title. Midi puzzles usually carry a small theme — long Across entries that share a wordplay link.
  • Mind the part of speech. Singular clue takes a singular answer; past tense takes -ED or an irregular past form.
  • Trust your first instinct. If a clue feels easy in the Midi, it usually is — the puzzle is designed to be solvable in three to five minutes.